My Journey as the First Woman to Throw Batting Practice to MLB Teams

MLB Scout School: Day 9

I was laying in the pool chair, under the night sky, with the hood of my sweatshirt pulled down over my eyes. I had just gotten done with my individual meeting with my instructor and I was disappointed in myself. I felt that I should have done better with my scouting reports.

I have fought for just about every baseball opportunity I’ve ever had. I was 13, when my baseball coach told me he didn’t want me on his team because I was a girl. But I didn’t quit. I was in high school when my coach said I couldn’t try out for the team. Then at a camp, I pitched against them; after that they let me tryout and play. I was 16, when one of my baseball heroes laughed when I said my goal was to coach college baseball. He said no man would listen to a woman on a ball field.

After being an assistant college baseball coach for 3 years, I went on and coached men’s pro baseball and even there, I was told that people expected me to quit. Two years later, I was talking to a MLB manager in the lobby at the Baseball Winter Meetings, telling him that I wanted to throw BP to his team. His response: “why the hell should I let you do that?” And then a few sentences later he asked me if I wanted to go up to his hotel room.

Six months ago, I asked the Major League Scouting Bureau a question pertaining to my academic work. Frank Marcos, the Director of the MLSB, emailed me back and asked if I would be interested in coming to Scout school. Of course, I said yes. The Cleveland Indians then agreed to sponsor me.

The most special part of scout school for me is that I was accepted from the very beginning. I didn’t have to fight my way in. I was invited. I was welcomed. And as I laid in my pool chair, feeling a little sorry for myself, I also thought of Mr. Marcos. Because from the beginning, he believed in me. And I am so grateful for that.

I want to be the scout school participant that Mr. Marcos thought I could be. And I know I’ll never quit trying.

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1 Comment

Justine- Continue your pursuits in this game and I wish the very best in whichever direction it takes you. You’ve worked extremely hard here and I know it’s been noticed by our instructors, staff and students alike.

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